Sweden (v.1: oxenstierna b)
Berwald Oxenstierna (Sweden) Berwald Oxenstierna is the human personification of the Kingdom of Sweden. Wears glasses and is blond, tall and scary on the outside but full of fluffy kittens, rainbows and angst on the inside. He would not know self-esteem if it walked up to him and slapped him in the face. Background Before Liberty: Berwald Oxenstierna was born 6.6.1988 in Sweden, to Svea and Göte Oxenstierna. Having married for practical reasons rather than love, his parents continued to live in amiable separation after his birth, his father at the family farm he’d moved to after retiring from running the Ox Star Corporation, while Berwald’s mother dedicated her time to running said firm, changing it from a struggling old family firm to a multinational corporation with ruthless methods. Berwald was mostly raised by his mother, who taught him he had to tough to survive in the world, a lesson Berwald took many years to recover from. In his teenage years, he was sent for a year to the States, to study as a first year exchange student in an American highschool. There he met Sindre and Søren, his first real friends... who pulled him into their small gang. Together, they terrorized other students and engaged in small crime. However, the friendship could not stand the separation at the end of the year, or so Berwald thought. The loss of his newly found brother figures was a hard blow to young Berwald. When he returned to Sweden, Berwald resigned himself to eventually inheriting the place of C.E.O in the Ox Star Corporation… eventually. However, as his mother became pursued by the authorities for certain small tax matters and faked her own death to escape the law, Berwald was pushed to the position earlier than he expected, at the tender age of 22. Eventually, the strain of doing something he hated and was bad at pushed him into leaving Sweden and his old life behind, and moving over to Liberty. In Liberty: There, he rented a cheap apartment and found employment in a furniture shop, dreaming of one day gathering enough money to start his own small store and dedicate all his time to making his own woodworks. Then, one evening as he was passing a store selling electronics, Berwald’s eye fell on a young Finnish man… and promptly fell in love. Later, Berwald discovered the man, Tino Väinämöinen, lived in the same apartment building. Tino planning to leave Liberty behind but changing his mind prompted Berwald to confess his feelings, but Tino did not return them. However, they agreed to stay as friends. Later, due to difficulties with keeping roommates, Tino moved in to the same apartment, which he was already sharing with an old internet friend and self proclaimed son, Peter Kirkland. So far, Tino and Berwald’s friendship has survived sleeping in the same bed for weeks, two one sided confessions, the return of Berwald’s mother, Tino almost punching Berwald after a Finnish team lost in Hockey and a drunken kiss… that only in the first apartment! Later the peculiar group of Berwald, Peter, Tino and Tino’s dog, Flower Egg moved to the house Berwald’s mother bought for him and which Berwald fixed up. Berwald was also unexpectedly reunited with Sindre Myhre, his older brother and crush from high school, and despite the long years of silence between them they have become closer than ever. The relationship between Berwald and Sören is yet unresolved. Peter has caused his make-shift father some heartache, first by running away to look for Raivis, then by running away because he’d fought with Raivis, once by overdosing on accident and finally during the unfortunate coffee incident, during which Berwald behaved in a way that still makes him ashamed. Personality Berwald used to be quite violent, as it was the only way he knew how to deal with opposition... fight or try not to be noticed at all. Even his mother pressured him to be tough and ruthless, especially in business matters. Berwald's father was more supportive, but he spent most of his time with his mother. After he managed to escape his mother's influence, Berwald resolved never to hurt anyone again. However, he still doesn't know how to communicate very well. Berwald is introverted, shy and has a low self-esteem. Due to having been alone he is almost desperate to have a family, and because he doesn't really know what a real family is like, he hardly realizes how unorthodox his self-made family group truly is. The one thing he will do almost anything for are his loved ones. Relationships Family: *''Peter Kirkland'' : Somewhere during the lonely, dark years between high school and Liberty, they met on the vast internet somewhere (it might or might not have been an illegal sharing site). As a joke, they became father and son, but somewhere along the way they forgot the joke part. It hasn't always been easy, but some ties can not be broken. *''Raivis Kirkland nee. Galante'' : The man Peter married. It's not easy for a father to let his son go, especially one like Berwald, and especially one who needs looking after as much as Peter, but Berwald trusts Raivis is a good man who'll take care of him. Which doesn't mean he can't worry for them both. *''Sindre Myhre'' : Never mind the lack of blood ties or old crushes...Sindre *is* Berwald's older brother, the perfect one who can do no wrong. Ever. *''Sören Nielsen'' : ...and this is the not-so-perfect one. The one who hurt Berwald, and the bruises he could have ignored, but not getting the impression Sören didn't really think of Berwald as family. And that missunderstanding is still between them. Friends: *Friends, huh? ...I can't think of anyone. Enemies: *''Ivan Branginsky'' : He hurt Berwald's precious son-in-law once, and despite Raivis seemingly having forgiven him, Berwald is still keeping an eye on him, should they ever cross roads. Love Interests: *''Tino Väinämöinen'' : Even though Berwald doesn't even hope his feelings will ever be returned, he just can't quit him. Fun Facts Here